


The Way Home

by beneathawesternsky



Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-23 19:51:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16625399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beneathawesternsky/pseuds/beneathawesternsky
Summary: Eugene Sledge meets a peculiar girl while enrolling at Alabama Polytechnic University. With her, he begins to heal from the war. (Just a wee drabble and an easy read) (I also realize that Eugene Sledge was a real person, but for sake of just wanting to write something with the beautiful Joe Mazzello in it, this is completely artistic license.)





	1. Chapter 1

The new stockings pulled up her legs like butter. It had been so hard to get silk stockings during the war, even for the Price women. All silk had to be saved for the war effort, and Sadie, in her efforts to “do her part”, never complained. So as Sadie pulled them up and secured them with her garter belt, she felt the slightest pull of guilt, despite the war being almost a year past. With a sigh, Sadie smoothed her blue floral dress over her legs, and admired the stockings in her lengthwise mirror, making sure the seams were straight. Content that they were, she slid her feet into her shoes, and left her dorm room to make the walk down to the student union.

The day was sunny, as it usually was in Auburn, Alabama. As Sadie walked towards the student union, she longed for the beach back home in Savannah—endless days spent swimming and lounging in the sun. She had been back to school now for two weeks, and had already noticed her skin returning to its pale color.

She smiled as she found her table, seated next to her friend Jane, also a veterans’ advisor volunteer. The new students milled around before they would officially start enrolling and handing out course catalogs. She sat gently, smoothing her skirt before sitting, and crossed her legs at the ankles as she was taught for cotillion.

“Mornin’, Sadie,” Jane chimed, and waved her first few students over. The rest quickly formed lines in front of each volunteer’s table.

“Morning, Jane,” Sadie replied, looking at the paperwork thrust in her hands. “You and Thomas have a good time last night?”

Jane barely hid a smile. “Better than good,” Jane said.

Sadie shot her a sidelong glance, which Jane returned with full meaning. Not wishing to broach the subject in front of matriculating students, Sadie sighed and looked up at the young man handing her his papers.

“Alright, Mister… Hunter. What classes were you interested in taking this semester…” Sadie started, and the rest of the morning would continue on much the same way. By ten thirty, Sadie was ready for a break. Signing the paper in front of her, she decided now was as good a time as any for a break.

She stood, arching her back, and put the last of her papers on the enrollment stack before asking someone to step in for her. When she turned to leave, she picked up on Jane's conversation with the man in front of her.

“Isn’t there anything the Marine Corps taught you that you can continue and ‘Bama Poly?”

Sadie didn’t know why, but her stomach dropped as she watched the young man’s face turn stony. He leaned forward, his auburn hair catching the light.

“They taught me how to kill Japs. I got pretty damn good at it…”

Sadie froze as she saw the boy turn to leave. Struck dumb, he was walking away before she could intercede.

“Jane Donnelly, you ought to be ashamed of yourself,” Sadie chided quietly, grabbing the paper from Jane's hands. She read his name, rushing after the boy who was nearly out the door. By the time she caught up with him, she had gotten to a jog.

“Mister Sledge,” Sadie called. He didn’t turn. “Mister Sledge, please slow down.” Sadie reached out to touch his shoulder when he turned, eyes blazing, and ran straight into her.

“Ooohf,” Sadie muttered as she was almost knocked back. He steadied her with hands surprisingly strong despite his build. His expression changed instantly, and he shook his head.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “are you alright?”

Sadie righted herself, and the boy let her go. “Yes, thank you… Please don’t go, Mister Sledge. My friend, she… she didn’t have anyone— _who went_ , you see. So she doesn’t…” Sadie’s mouth hung open as she watched the young man struggle to find something to say.

“What is it you’d like to study,” Sadie said, pausing to look at his registration sheet, “Eugene?”

Eugene paused a moment, and considered the dark haired girl before him. He sighed. He just wanted to leave—this was a terrible idea anyway. Who was he kidding?

“Biology,” he said, not knowing where that came from. This was the opposite of leaving.

“Okay,” Sadie said, and looked down at his paper. “Bio 101 is still open, and Botany…” Sadie trailed off, looking at the drawn boy in front of her. He looked bone weary, like it took all of his strength just to get here today.

“Tell you what, Mr. Sledge,” Sadie said, folding his paper. “I was just about to take my break. Will you go for coffee with me? I’d sure love the company. Maybe we can get your schedule worked out in the process.”

Eugene looked the girl up and down, only for a second—if only to size up what he was getting himself into.

He opened his mouth to decline, but something about her demeanor gave him pause. She stood there, a head shorter than him, looking up at him doe eyed, but with not an ounce of pity. How many times had he been looked at in that pitying way since coming back? He hated to think of it.

“Alright,” he said, and her face broke into what seemed like the most effortless smile, framing her blue eyes perfectly.

“Alright,” she mirrored, and after Sadie excused herself to grab her clutch, the two of them made to leave the building.

“We’ll go to Gordy’s. It’s got the best coffee within walking distance,” Sadie said.

Eugene nodded as they walked. “Well, if it’s any better than what I’ve been drinking the past few years, it’ll be fine.”

Sadie’s mouth formed a small smile. They walked all the way to the diner in silence—albeit comfortable silence. When they got to the door, Eugene opened it for Sadie, surprising her. She tamped down her surprise, and tried to quell the feeling that stirred in her stomach. She told herself she was simply showing the Marine the modicum of decency he deserved—especially after Jane spoke with him the way she had.

They sat at a free table, and Sadie smoothed his enrollment sheet in front of them.

“Biology, huh?” Sadie asked. “Good choice…”

“What can I get you two to start?” a voice came from above them. A waitress in a pink uniformed dress held a coffee mug in one hand.

“Oh, just the coffee today,” Sadie said sweetly. The waitress nodded and turned the mugs in front of them up and poured. The waitress’s eyes lingered on Eugene in appreciation. This, of course, was completely lost on Eugene.

“Sure I can’t get y’all anything else?” she asked sweetly, throwing her hair back over her shoulder.

“We’re fine, thank you,” Eugene said without a hint of acknowledgment on his face.

The waitress sighed and nodded.

“Oh, there is one thing—can I borrow that pen? I swear I’ll give it back in a few minutes,” Sadie indicated one of the pens resting in the waitress’s (Theresa, her name badge read) breast pocket.

She chewed her lip a moment. “Sure,” she said, and left them with their pen and coffees.

Sadie took it up quickly, and unscrewed the cap.

“Well,” Sadie said, taking a sip of coffee while looking at the paper. “For Bio you’ll need 101. I already said that…” She wrote quickly, having had the course catalog memorized by now. “And for your second science credit, you can choose Botany, Chemistry… anything really.”

Eugene put his hands around his mug and his mouth gaped a moment. “I suppose Chemistry…”

Sadie nodded, and wrote the course name and number on the next line. Eugene watched the curiously gregarious girl fill out his enrollment card, and didn’t quite know what to make of her.

“Now,” she said, finally looking up. “You’ll have to get some particulars out of the way before you get into the really specialized stuff. English Lit, US History… That alright with you?”

Eugene nodded, and drank from his coffee to give himself something to do. Sadie wrote those classes too. In a moment, she had finished, and folded it back up, and put it back into her purse.

“So you can’t change your mind,” Sadie said, with a wink. “I’ll put it on the top of the pile when I get back.”

“That right?” Eugene said, finally cracking a small smile.

“You bet, mister,” Sadie said, a twinkle in her eye. “You wouldn’t be the first Marine or soldier to back out before I was able to submit their paperwork. Besides, you earned that GI Bill, as far as I’m concerned.”

Sadie watched the boy in front of her as he struggled to find something, anything, to say.

“Hey,” Sadie said, and put her hand on his as it rested on his coffee. He looked down at the touch. “At least come to the first week of classes. If it’s not for you, you can withdraw.”

The two shared a look—brown eyes meeting blue—and after a moment, Eugene nodded.

“Good,” Sadie said, and took her hand away from his, as if it had been nothing. Besides his mother, how long had it been since a girl had touched him?

“So why Biology, Mr. Sledge?” Sadie asked.

Eugene thought a moment. He knew the answer. After years of killing, of seeing the world implode, all he wanted to do was observe nature. Respect it. Act as its steward. But he settled for something less serious.

“Just seemed like a nice change of pace after the war,” he said, and drank from his coffee again.

Sadie nodded.

“What are you studying?” Eugene asked. Sadie smiled again, happy that the conversation seemed to be progressing.

“Psychology,” she said with a slight lilt in her southern accent that almost perfectly matched Eugene’s. Eugene gave a breathy chuckle, and looked down at his coffee cup.

“Ah,” he said.

Sadie joined him in his laugh. “Oh my, have I turned my powers on you?”

Eugene cracked his first real smile, showing his teeth. He tried quickly to stifle it, and Sadie felt sad for him.

“Same question—why Psychology?” he asked.

Sadie tilted her head in thought. “Well, for one, it’s most definitely what my daddy didn’t want me to do—pick a major that wasn’t French Lit or some such thing. Just a feather in my cap before I marry one of his business partner’s sons without ever giving my schooling another thought. And as if women don’t belong in the sciences. He said, and I quote, ‘it’s not fitting.’—but if I’m being honest, I think while the war was on, I kept trying to think of something I could do. I was too young when Pearl Harbor happened to do anything really. Fifteen. Had to stay in school. But when the men started coming back…”

They shared a loaded silence. Eugene knew all too well the hollow feeling that came back with you from the war.

“My brother,” Sadie continued, “Davey. He came back from Europe. It was the nightmares,” the two exchanged a glance. She pushed past the specifics. “He just wasn’t the same after. And I thought, maybe… _that’s_ what I can do.”

Sadie could see the uncomfortable look that overcame Eugene—like he thought she might try to “shrink his head” or analyze him or something. She took that as her cue to leave. She opened her clutch, and pulled out two quarters, placing them on the table.

“No, please let me—” Eugene started, and Sadie put her hand on his again, like they were old friends.

“Mr. Sledge, I’m afraid I’ll brook no refusal. It’s the least I could do for my friend’s deplorable behavior.”

She stood, and looked down at Eugene.

“You can get the next one,” she added, with a wink, and without another word, she was out the door.

Eugene watched in awe as the strangest, most beautiful girl he’d ever met, walked away, her blue floral, silk dress swaying with the movement of her hips as she crossed the street. It wasn’t until she was out of sight that he realized he hadn’t asked her name.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick note! I changed Sadie's friend's name to Jane, because I forgot Sid's fiancé is named Mary. I also am changing Sid's story so that he is also a student at Alabama Poly. Because I can.

Jane’s face said it all as Sadie entered the student union. She shook her head as Sadie got within hearing distance.

“I’m sorry, Sadie,” she said.

“It’s not me you said it to, Jane,” Sadie said as she sat down, relieving her replacement. “But you ought to know, not all these boys had desk positions. Let’s not draw their attention to it, okay?”

The line had died down, and they could now speak somewhat freely.

“So is he gonna come to ‘Bama Poly?” Jane asked, still a hint of mortification in her voice.

“Yes,” Sadie said, and pulled his registration papers from her purse. She put them on the top of her pile.

Jane was silent a moment, and then a grin appeared on her face. “He was handsome.”

Sadie chuckled and shook her head. “To you, every war vet is handsome.”

“’Cause they are,” Jane said, and sat up a little taller. “There’s nothin’ wrong with liking a fella who’s brave enough to go to war.”

“No, there’s not,” Sadie said with a resigned sigh.

“Then why don’t I see you at any of the dances?” Jane teased.

Sadie took a deep breath and held it a moment. “It’s hard to explain,” she settled on.

“Oh, you had enough with all those cotillion balls?” Jane countered.

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Sadie said with sincerity.

“Privilege sure has its downfalls, doesn’t it?” Jane asked with mock seriousness.

Sadie sighed again, and left the question unanswered. It actually did. For the Price family, society was a way of life. All the Price women were taught to be made up perfectly, to fall in line, and do as their fathers and husbands told them. They laughed at parties, they gossiped at the country clubs, and they went with all the right boys. But for Sadie Price, it felt like a slow death. Every time she was at the elbow of some dilettante, she wondered if she was there merely because she was a Price, or if he actually liked her.

She knew the answer. But she tried to ignore it every time it crept up in her mind.

“Why don’t you go with us to the back-to-school dance next Friday? Me and Tommy?”

“And play the third wheel?” Sadie replied.

“No, you’ll be with Jim,” she said, and Sadie could hear her very poorly veiled plan. She wondered how long she’d been thinking of how to get her out with Thomas Buchannan’s other half, James Edwards.

“Jane, I don’t think Jim’s my type,” Sadie said.

“What, handsome and funny isn’t your type?” Jane asked.

“No, _society_ isn’t my type…” Sadie muttered, looking at the young man who approached her table. Their conversation stalled as Sadie filled out the young man’s registration. When he had left, Jane leaned over, and practically hissed at her.

“You know as well as anyone, Sadie Price, that just because you were born into a family doesn’t make you like them…”

This got Sadie in the gut. Jane was right.

“Fine,” Sadie said, so quiet she almost didn’t hear herself.

“What’s that?” Jane asked, trying to drive the point home.

“I said okay, are you happy?” Sadie said, and shot her friend a bewildered stare.

“Immensely.”

* * *

Eugene parked his car (a gift from his father upon his return) in the driveway, after his journey from Auburn to Mobile, and sat for a moment with a sinking feeling in his stomach. All he had known for years was the Corps. Life back home without it had been worse in a way than what he’d seen in the South Pacific—at least there he knew what his job was. 

As he walked up to the house, he figured school was his job now. And he’d be damned if he was going to screw it up.

He thought with a small grin that if it weren’t for the strange girl at the advisor’s table, he might have come home without a new path.

He entered the kitchen and found his mother and Sidney Phillips talking over coffee.

“Well, can I call you college boy yet?” Sid asked with a hopeful look on his face.

Eugene sighed and scratched at the back of his neck. “Start next week,” he said.

Sid got out of his chair and drew his arm around Eugene’s neck. “Thank god,” Sid said, and let his friend go. “I was startin’ to get lonely out there in Auburn.”

Eugene flushed. He hated being preened over, and he could see the look on his mother’s face. Pride.

She stood, and put her hand on his cheek. “I’ll have Rosalie start packing your things.”

“It’s okay, mom, I can pack,” Eugene said, and his mother nodded her head in acknowledgment. Ever since he came back, Eugene had been fiercely independent. She admired him for it, but it made her worry sometimes.

“C’mon,” Sid said, “let’s go down to the creek. I’ve got the bait and tackle in my car.”

Eugene looked to his mother not for permission, but to check that she would be alright on her own. She nodded. “You boys go have fun.”

When they had settled in at the creek, and each of them had a beer in one hand, and a fishing pole in the other, Eugene finally started to relax.

“Never thought I’d see the say,” Sid said, looking to Eugene. Seeing the confused look on Eugene’s face, Sid nodded to the beer.

“Oh,” Eugene said, and set it down. “Yeah, well...” he didn’t know what to say.

“I know,” Sid said. Eugene could always count on Sid to understand what he wanted to say. “Things are different.”

Eugene softened. “It’s like… It’s like they all forgot.”

Sid shook his head. “They never knew to begin with,” he said. “They have an idea. But you have to see it. Smell it.”

Eugene drank from his beer to give himself something to do.

“But Gene,” Sid said, and turned towards his friend who sat on the bank of the creek. “You can’t lose yourself in it. You’ve gotta live life.”

Eugene stared at the water as it caught the light of the setting sun, and glittered like pearls. “I’ll try.”

* * *

The knock at her door came precisely at six. She opened her dorm room door, and found a sorority sister, also dressed to the teeth. 

“Jim’s downstairs for you,” she said, her eyes gleeful. Jim was quite the catch on campus. All the girls she knew just fawned over the young lieutenant.

“Thank you, Harriet,” Sadie said, and secured the earring she was clipping to her ear. “Do I look okay?”

Harriet gave her the one-over. She dazzled in a teal cocktail dress, draped chiffon on one shoulder, and beaded lace on the other. “Jim’ll love it.”

Sadie gave a half smile, and grabbed her purse, walking out behind Harriet. As she made her way down the stairs, she saw Jim waiting for her in his Army uniform. Boys were still wearing them to the dances, but Sadie knew that would stop eventually. Boys like Jim though would be the last to give it up. She didn’t know how to feel about that.

He was a vision to be admired, Sadie knew. With his dazzling green eyes and strong jaw, he was every bit a movie star in his uniform.

“Miss Price,” he said, and held out his elbow for her. “You look beautiful.”

“Please, Jim,” Sadie said, “call me Sadie.”

“Yes ma’am,” Jim added quietly, full of irony. She knew it was part of his charm.

They walked out of the sorority house, more than a few eyes on them as they made their way to Jim’s car. As they drove, Jim made conversation.

“I was surprised when Jane told me you’d agreed to come out with me tonight,” he said, pulling into the parking lot of the supper club.

“Were you?” Sadie asked, unsure how to feel.

He smiled cockily. “If there’s one thing the Army teaches you,” he said, “it’s persistence.”

Sadie swallowed the uneasy feeling in her stomach, and smiled to mask it. 

Jim opened Sadie’s door for her, and helped her out of his car. As they made their way to the front door, Jim’s hand found the small of her back. Sadie’s mind told her it was alright—they were on a date, but her gut roiled.

As they entered the dance, they were met with the sounds of laughter and jazz.

Moments later, standing with Jane, Thomas and Jim, Sadie was thankful for the drink in her hand.

* * *

“You’re engaged to Mary,” Eugene reasoned from the passenger seat of Sid’s car, “I don’t know why you have to keep coming to these things." 

Sid laughed. “Eugene, you got a hell of a lot to learn about women,” he said, putting the car in park. “Mary likes dancing. So I take her dancing.”

Eugene sighed, picking at his blazer.

Sid looked over at him. “I still don’t know why you won’t wear it.”

Eugene looked straight ahead at the light coming from the windows of the supper club, and sighed.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Eugene reasoned as they walked up to the door.

“Yeah, why _are_ you here?” Sid teased. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with the mystery brunette, would it?”

Eugene’s face was stony, but his face tinged pink.

“I thought so,” Sid said.

The noise of the supper club was jarring to Eugene’s ears, so used to peace and quiet. Still, it was better than mortar and gunfire. He watched from the sidelines as Sid and Mary danced, so in love it hurt to watch. He scanned the crowd, looking for… well, _her_ , if he was being honest with himself. He figured he might be likely to run into her if not on campus, then at one of these awful gatherings. Unable to find her, Eugene resigned to an evening of quiet contemplation while Sid and Mary danced. With his drink, Eugene retreated to the back porch where he hoped it would be quiet.

His footsteps thudded on the wood of the porch, and he looked out over the lake that appeared black in the night sky. Eugene leaned over the railing, his glass in both hands. A couple huddled in the corner, murmuring quietly. Eugene gave them a sideways glance, as long as was polite, and turned back, minding his own business.

“I said _no_ , Jim,” he heard a soft voice say.

“Come on, Sadie,” he heard the uniformed man reply. “You really saying you came out tonight just to dance?”

“Yes, Jim,” Eugene heard the girl hiss. “I don’t know what you thought.”

“You know, if this was right after VE or VJ day, I’d have you on your back in a heartbeat.”

Eugene’s blood began to boil. He set his drink on the rail. He looked over at the couple, unwilling to keep his eyes off of them until the troll named Jim walked away.

“You society girls really are the same,” he said, gripping the bottom of his date’s dress, gathering it in an effort to get his hand under it. He pressed harder into her, pinning her against the railing.

“Jim, _stop_!” she said, and grabbed at his wrist to stop him. Eugene could tell by the looks of her date that she would never be able to overpower him. Eugene heard the sound of fabric tearing, and that set him over the edge.

“Hey!” Eugene shouted, and walked a few paces closer to their darkened corner of the porch. “The lady said stop.”

“Don’t think it’s any of your business,” he said, looking over at Eugene defiantly.

Eugene walked a few more paces closer, and saw the flushed face of _her_ —the strange and beautiful specter who had found her way to the corner of his dreams at night, a beacon of light in the darkness. He struggled to make sense of the scene before him. His shock took over momentarily as a look of recognition passed between them.

“She clearly doesn’t want you to touch her, so that makes it my business,” Eugene was now a few paces away from them, and knew this would end in only one way. _Hoped_ it would end one way. His blood coursed in a way it hadn’t done since the war, and Eugene felt at home. He could live here. Looking at the handsome lieutenant in his crisp uniform, Eugene somehow knew that _he_ hadn’t spent much, if any, time in that place.

Jim looked down at Sadie, and let her go. He rounded on the out-of-uniform Marine and sized him up. Deciding he had the upper hand, Jim cocked his arm back, and swung at the red haired waif before him—and missed.

Eugene, too fast and too well trained, ducked, and swung his fist into Jim’s face, knocking him sideways into the railing. Sadie cried out, and walked the few steps that remained, and placed herself between the two men.

The blow left Jim dazed, and as he touched his lip, he noticed blood there. He looked up at Eugene, whose eyes now burned with a fierce fire that had been smoldering for months, a look that said _please try it again_. Before Jim could decide, Sadie put her hands up between the two men.

“Jim, just go. Leave,” she said, hoping he would.

He thought a moment, and spat the rest of the blood on the painted wood deck. “Fucking tease,” Jim muttered, and walked away in a thunder of footsteps.

Eugene and Sadie stood there a moment, watching Jim storm off. Sadie could feel her knees start to give underneath her, the adrenaline too much. She listed to the side, and grabbed the rail to steady herself. She gasped, and put one hand to her chest to catch her breath.

“You okay?” Eugene asked, coming within arms length of her. He pulled his hand up, but decided against touching her.

Sadie—that had been her name, right?—breathed a few moments more before nodding.

“Thank you,” she said earnestly, but clearly embarrassed.

“Your dress…” Eugene said, indicating her hem. She looked down and saw lace hanging down from behind the chiffon fabric. She pulled the dress up a few inches to look.

“Just the slip,” she said, and smoothed the fabric back down. She shook her head, and looked anywhere but Eugene’s face. “I don’t know what I expected from a man like him. I knew something felt wrong.”

“I know I don’t know you at all, but he doesn’t seem like your type,” he said.

She chuckled, and wrapped her arms around her middle. “Oh, he’s my type alright. It’s like looking in a crystal ball.” She looked at Eugene, and softened at his expression. Concern.

“Exactly the type my father would love for me to bring home,” she clarified. “As if a man’s worth is dictated by how many people are in his employ, or how little he actually has to work to maintain his position…”

Eugene’s stomach dropped. He had been born into wealth. Maybe not “old money”, but his father had at least three people in his employ at all times. He never had felt comfortable with the idea of being so privileged, but at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to be a pauper in her eyes.

She sighed. “What is it about you that makes me say such things?” she asked with a smile. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be psychoanalyzing _you_ , remember?”  

Eugene shook his head. “I don’t know.” He didn’t. But he didn’t care—whatever it was about him that made her bare herself to him, he never wanted it to change.

“Eugene Sledge,” Sadie said, righting herself, standing taller, “thank you. For being here tonight.”

“To be honest, I hate these things,” he said.

“Let me guess, a well-meaning friend?” Sadie asked.

Eugene nodded, and leaned against the railing beside her, settling into a comfortable rhythm in conversation.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of that going around,” Sadie said with a breathy sigh.

They shared silence for a moment.

“I never did get your name,” Eugene said, turning to Sadie.

Sadie blushed. “Oh my, that just makes it worse, doesn’t it? You shoulda stopped me earlier. I’m Sadie Price.” She held her hand out, which he took gently, shaking it briefly.

Eugene smiled, looking at his feet. “If you’d have let me, I might’ve,” he said, trying his hand at a playful retort.

Sadie giggled, and when she stopped, she pulled in her breath sharply. She was still shaken up.

“Hey, you wanna get out of here?” Eugene asked.

Sadie drew her lip under her teeth and considered Eugene.

“I-I promise it’s not like that,” Eugene said, holding his hands up in defense.

“No,” Sadie said, “no, I would never think that of you,” she said sincerely.

“Do you live far from here?”

“About a mile. I’m at the Gamma house.”

“I’ll walk you home,” Eugene said. “I’d drive you, but my well-meaning friend drove tonight.”

Sadie shook her head. “I could use a walk,” she said, and she pushed off the railing. The two of them slowly made their way off the porch, and towards the sidewalk.

They both seemed to relax the further they got from the roaring supper club. Sadie drew her arms around herself and sucked in air a moment.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

“No, I’m alright,” Sadie said sweetly.

“Here,” Eugene said, taking his jacket off, and draping it around her shoulders. She demurely accepted.

“Where are you from, Eugene?” Sadie asked as they walked a very modest pace.

“Mobile,” Eugene said simply. “What about you?”

“Savannah,” she said, her voice full of meaning.

“That’d explain the accent,” he said ironically, which made Sadie laugh. God, what a perfect sound, he marveled.

“Like you’re from New York, _Mister Sledge_ ,” she said.

He smiled down at his shoes.

“Tell me about yourself,” she prompted.

Eugene heaved a sigh. “Not much to tell, really.”

“I don’t believe that for a second,” Sadie said, walking so close to Eugene their elbows occasionally grazed each other.

Eugene smiled. He couldn’t get anything past her, and he knew right then he was in trouble with this girl. The best kind of trouble.

“I’ve got an older brother who went to Europe. My dad’s a doctor. And as soon as I could, I joined the Marines.”

“You have quite a way of abbreviating your life, Eugene,” Sadie said, looking up at him. “It’s always the quiet types that have the most to say, but have the hardest time saying it.”

They shared a look, and then both laughed.

“Alright, _Doctor Price_ ,” Eugene said.

“Oh, that does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” Sadie said.

“I think so,” Eugene said.

“Too bad it’ll never happen,” Sadie lamented.

“What do you mean?”

Sadie smirked. “Oh, I’ll get my degree of course, but a woman in a graduate program? And even if I get my license, where am I going to practice? A woman psychoanalyst?”

“Thirty years ago, women couldn’t vote,” Eugene said. “Who knows what women will be able to do in another thirty years. You could be the first.”

Sadie looked up at Eugene with surprise. She stopped walking, and Eugene was forced to stop as well, looking back at her.

“You’re not just saying that, are you?” Sadie asked, already knowing the answer. She shook her head. “Well, aren’t you something, Eugene Sledge?”

Eugene shrugged, and the two of them walked the rest of the mile to her sorority house. When they reached the house with the Greek letters on the side, they slowed to a stop. Sadie removed Eugene’s jacket, and gave it back to him.

“Thank you for what you did tonight, Eugene,” Sadie said, and stood on her toes to give Eugene a kiss on the cheek no heavier than a feather’s touch. The feeling made him thrill, and his skin burned where she had kissed him.

She turned and walked to her front door. Her hand on the doorknob snapped him from his shocked state.

“Sadie?” Eugene asked, stepping a few feet forward.

“Hmm?” Sadie said, looking back.

“May I…” He started, pushing forward through his nervousness. “May I take you out sometime?”

Sadie smiled and held the side of the door a bit harder. She nodded and turned to leave.

“How about tomorrow?” Eugene blurted.

Sadie turned back in surprise, and looked at the fair skinned boy on her stoop, his skin paler in the moonlight. She considered a moment, and finding his face so honest and open (is that why she spoke so freely with him?), she nodded again. Eugene broke out in a smile, which was mirrored in Sadie’s face.

“Pick me up at seven,” she said, with that, she turned and closed the door behind her.

Eugene stood there a moment, in shock at all that had happened that night. He had seen a part of himself tonight when he set Sadie’s date straight, a side he hadn’t wanted to see for the rest of his life. But still feeling Sadie’s kiss on his cheek he thought maybe, just maybe, life might have something left to give.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments, kudos and all who've added this story to their favorites. Positive feedback tells me if I should keep going with this little fluff story.


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